Improvement in shipping-packages



M. G. RICHARDS. Shipping-Package.

No. 204,611. Patented June 4,1878.

Invent 0v N PETERS, PHQTO-LITHOGRAPMER. WASHINGTON. D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARCIUS O. RICHARDS, OF OSWEGO, ILL., ASSIGNOR OF TVVO-THIRDS HIS RIGHT TO HENRY W. FARLEY AND DAVID M. HAIGHT, OF SAME PLACE.

lM PROVEM-ENT IN SHIPPING-PACKAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,611, dated June 4, 1878 application filed January 25, 1878.

To all whom it may camera Be it known that I, MAROIUS O. RICHARDS, of Oswego, in the county of Kendall and State of lllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shipping-Packages, which is fully described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved package; Fig. 2, a plan sectional view taken on the line .70 m, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional View taken on the line y 3 Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a plan view of the same; Fig. 5, a bottom view of the same; and Fig. 6 represents the fastening clamp or staple. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line z z of Fig 1.

The object of my invention is to provide a safe and convenient package for the shipment of merchandise, such as cheese, cut-tobacco, and other like articles, which must be carefully preserved, but do not require a liquid-tight package.

The invention consists in a package or case composed of sheet-metal sides and removable wooden heads, constructed as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, A represents the side of the package or case, preferably cylindrical in form, and made of sheet metal of any kind suitable for the purpose, bent into the desired form. The ends of the metal strip which forms the barrel are fastened together by means of a thin strip, B, passing through slits a in the ends of the strip, which are lapped by each other, so as to be secured in this way, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This fastening is made so as to be removed at any time for the purpose of taking the package to pieces.

If desired, the sheet-metal hoop or barrel may be corrugated for the purpose of giving it greater strength where the package is intended for heavy articles, and a shoulder or rabbet, a, is made along each edge of the strip, so that when set up this shoulder will appear upon the inside of the hoop and at each end thereof.

The heads 0 are made of wood, and are constructed so that the smaller portion will fit the inside of the barrel A, while the larger portion extends over and rests upon the edge of the barrel at each end, the shoulder or also serving as a support for the heads upon the inside, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

. These wooden heads are made separate from the barrel, so as to be applied thereto or removed therefrom at pleasure. They may be temporarily secured to the hoop by simply driving tacks or small nails D through the edges of the barrel into them; or a fasteningstrip, E, may be employed, secured to the outside of one of the heads, bent around its edge, and extended up inside of the barrel, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

For the purpose of securing the end of the strip to the head, I prefer a wire clamp or staple, F, bent, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, which is driven into the wooden head, so as to clasp the end of the fastening-strip, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings.

The fastening-strip, when the package is made ready for shipment by putting the upper head in place, is secured to the latter by bending the strip up over the head or cover and securing it in the same way as to the lower head described above.

The clamp or staple may also be used as a fastening device without the strip, one end being driven into the face of the head and the other bent around and driven through the edge of the barrel into the edge of the head, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings.

The strip-fastenin g E has the advantage of strengthening the side of the barrel when filled, and also of facilitating the exhibition of the contents within and readily closing up the package at any time.

The upper head 0 may be provided with a lid portion, 0, hinged to the other portion, thus adapting the package for use to sell the contents from at retail, if desired. The wooden heads may be lined with tin-foil or other suitable material, if desired. For a cheese-package, paper Will make a suitable lining; but for tobacco, foil or oiled or waxed paper is preferable. This package can be readily taken apart or knocked down for shipment in quantities to any point desired, and set up by any one when required for use, so that the transportation of the packages from the place of manufacture to the place of use will be inexpensive, and the packages can be preserved, when emptied, for use again, as they may be used over and over without destruction.

To facilitate this use of the package, the sheet-metal sides may be connected by any removable fastening suitable for the purpose, and the heads may be temporarily secured to the barrel by other fasteningsthau those above described.

In shipping cheese, cut-tobacco, and some other commodities,great diificulty is experienced, if wooden packages are used, on account of the destruction occasioned by rats, mice, and other vermin, against which the wood is not an eflicient protection.

The advantages of my improved shippingpackage are, that it completely protects its contents from injury and destruction by vermin while in transit or in store; also, on account of the method of uniting the several parts, it may be knocked down for transportation, thereby saving freight and storage, and can be set up for use whenever wanted with very little labor, and can be used over and over again, instead of being thrown away as rubbish after being used once.

A strong, convenient, and economical shipping-package is thus obtained,which furnishes the complete protection required for some kinds of goods.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A shipping-package composed of a sheetmetal hoop or barrel, A, having its ends temporarily secured, and removable Wooden heads 0, fitted to the ends of the barrel, and temporarily secured thereto by means of strips E and staples F, substantially as described.

2. In a shipping-package, the sheet-metal hoop or barrel A. formed by securing the ends of the metal strip together by a temporary and removable fastening, in combination with wooden heads 0, fitted to the open ends of the barrel, secured thereto by temporary fastenings, and removable therefrom at pleasure, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a shipping-package, the sheet-metal hoop or barrel A, the ends whereof are detachably secured together by means of a metallic strip, B, laced through slots a a near the ends of said hoop, in combination with wooden heads 0, fitted to the open ends, and secured therein by temporary fastenings, one of said heads being in two pieces, hinged together, so that the contents may be inspected without removal of the whole cover.

MARCIUS C. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

FRANK STROPMAN, FRANK RICHARDS. 

